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+--- Thread: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap (/showthread.php?tid=100440)
My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - macyoder - 07-24-2014
I posted on my FB that I was starting a business, where I figure out the best credit cards bonus to get you on your dream destination, free or very cheap. Based on my messages they thought the information was for free, so why not there.
My goal is 3 continents (Europe, North America and South America) plus the Caribbean and Hawaii for free or close to it in 5 years. My next trip in February 2015 to Costa Rica will accomplish this. My most recent trips were Eastern Caribbean cruise on Royal Princess out of Florida (2/14), with to flight to Washington DC and a stay at Times Square Sheraton NYC (6/14)
For Costa Rica, we ( hubby and me) are using the Barclay Arrive card 40K points after $3K in spending for 3 months. The card gives 2% back on all purchases. That will over most of our flying direct on Delta.
The Chase Sapphire ( 2 cards) give 45K points each so over $500 towards vacation booked. Since I am doing a tour package in Costa Rica, I will sell these points to a middle person for $625, for a total of at least $1,300. On TA they never believed I could get free upgrades but now I book it for free plus free upgrades to boot. The Grand Hyatt Regency in Kauai free at $595 per night with a free upgrade to $650 per night with Spa access.
I have a business Mustbetripping so I can get a third card and the points in the business. No,I don't spend a fortune on credit card just gas, groceries, phone, internet, auto insurance, house insurance, and some utilities. Oh yeah, a teenage daughter's need for lotion and potions.
Sophie wanted to go to Jamaica so I told her to get the Southwest card then transfer the points to Air tran which flew to Jamaica at the time----FREE.
Life is too short and too many points for not doing it for FREE or cheap. Yes, you mustbetrippin' no mustbetripping.
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - Oldtimer2 - 07-24-2014
WOW !!!!
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - Sophie - 07-24-2014
Yep- like I said before- thanks to Mac two free round trip tickets. What the hell, we use a credit card anyway, might as well use one that gives nice incentives.
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - ohliz - 07-24-2014
I don't have the patience to shop around and get cards then cancel them though it sounds like I should perhaps make the time.
For now I use my Cap One card which gives me "purchase eraser" for travel at the rate of $100 spent/$2 credit, sometimes more if I use it for certain things at certain times.
I use that card for everything I possibly can (and pay it off each month).
In the past 2-3 years I've gotten free flight to JA, free week in villa in TB, free RT to Oregon (had to book for an emergency so it was not cheap), and numerous hotel rooms and car rentals. Nice side benefit is no international fees when used overseas.
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - macyoder - 07-24-2014
(07-24-2014, 06:27 PM)ohliz Wrote: I don't have the patience to shop around and get cards then cancel them though it sounds like I should perhaps make the time.
That's where my business Mustbetripping comes in. You tell me where you want to go, I find the best offer, guide you to get all the points you need, and once your trip is over send you a reminder to close the card and start thinking about your next trip. On amazon pay you can send someone a credit card payment (goes as purchase) $1000 per month. So on one card at the end of May I 'paid' my hubby a $1000, which got deposited to our checking account Two days later I paid him another $1000, so now I spent/paid $2000, since these are seen as purchases not cash advance. On this particular card its 0 interest for the first year so I prepaid a few of my utilities and withing a month I met the required amount for the bonus points. Depending on the card, I can sell these points for at least 20-30 percent more so 50+k points could earn me a check for $665. For most 'normal' people a couple of cards per year can provide whats needed for a nice vacation for cheap.
In the last 3 years I have first class to Jamaica twice, two trips to Hawaii (Big Island, Maui and Kauai), flight to FL, flight to DC, car rental, stay at the Sheraton in Times Square, excursions and cash to pay for part half of our cruise. I am sitting on anywhere from 4-6 R/T flights for Southwest and Frontier Airlines. I am stuck home entertaining house guest.
Sophie - reminder to start thinking about your next trip :-)
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - kylake - 07-24-2014
To ditto what OT said, WOW, Macy it appears you have this whole CC points thing figured out and use it exceptionally well. I only have an AMEX card where the points never expire. Got any pointers for me?
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - macyoder - 07-24-2014
It will take you a lifetime to earn the type of points for the type of trips I am taking about. Kylake, where do you want to go and when?
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - macyoder - 07-24-2014
Kylake, you might be able to sell those points for cash. My last offer from American Express I sold 50k points. Those points are usually very valuable. For Costa Rica, I am choosing cards with points that I can sell for cash.
The bonus points are just for getting the right card and making the required purchase, around $1,000 per months for 3 months. - gas, groceries, phone, car insurance, some utilities, cable ect.
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - Tim - 07-25-2014
You sure seem to have the CC points deals figured out. I'm not disciplined enough to keep zero balances, plus we can't pay utilities with credit cards.
Right now all we have is AirMiles. It worked out good for our trip overseas. On top of the airmiles we paid about $600 Canadian each return from Saskatoon. If flying from home was even close to what is cost in the U.S. we would travelling much more often. I always read what people pay to fly to Jamaica from various places in the US and I just shake my head. We really pay to fly from the great white north.
RE: My Guilty Pleasure - Free or Cheap - Schuttzie - 07-25-2014
Wow, that is fantastic, Macy! I use my AMEX card for all online purchases ( utilities want to charge a convenience fee to have an automatic credit card payment but I can have an automatic withdrawal from a bank account, go figure). This last trip we got one airline ticket free but it seems to take forever to get my points added up. I'll look into that Amazon pay thingy.